


Realm of Savagery

by CanadianWriter78



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alpha/Omega, BAMF Gaila (Star Trek: Alternate Original Series), Cannibalism, Cavemen, F/M, Starship Enterprise (Star Trek)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:54:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23359594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CanadianWriter78/pseuds/CanadianWriter78
Summary: As the USS Enterprise embarks on an exploratory mission of a rarely – traveled region of the Alpha Galaxy, Kirk orders a reconnaissance crew to travel via a small shuttle to an obscure desolate planet that a century earlier had been used for mineral extraction by Earth-based corporations. But the crew of the Enterprise soon learns that there is more to this seemingly benign planet than meets the eye, as the inhabitants are a primitive, caveman-like race who have a penchant for murder and cannibalism.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Spock, Pavel Chekov/Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov/Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Spock/Nyota Uhura
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

USS ENTERPRISE  
James T. Kirk emerged from his quarters after writing his daily captain’s log. Since setting out from a small space station, it had been smooth sailing for the USS Enterprise.  
‘To explore strange new worlds….’  
Kirk contemplated on that section of the crew’s mandate.  
Yes, there was no shortage of strange new worlds to make known to the Federation. Full of strange, eccentric and interesting beings. There were also planets where one had to be extra careful where he or she trekked. Worlds of militaristic, even violent races.  
That would be something to worry about in the future. Right now, the Enterprise commander’s gut was rumbling. Two of the more than 600 crew members who called the starship home saluted Kirk as he walked down a corridor toward the nearest galley.  
“Good evening Captain,” said Ringo, one of the best chefs Kirk had ever known. “Hope you brought your appetite with you.”  
“That I did.”  
Ringo served up a plate full of roast turkey, vegetables and a piece of bread.  
“Here you go, Captain.”  
“Thanks, Ringo.”  
Kirk sat down inside the galley. He hadn’t tasted anything this good in days. Kirk thought about exactly what would be the purpose of their next mission. No specific orders had come in from Starfleet Command. Drifting endlessly in space seemed rather counterproductive. Kirk savored every morsel. It just didn’t get any better than this.  
Harrison, a commander in the Enterprise’s security unit, walked into the galley. Ringo served him a plate.  
“Commander, take a seat,” Kirk said.  
“Yes, Sir.”  
Harrison sat across from Kirk.  
“Quite impressive, wasn’t it?”  
“Sir?”  
“That new space station,” Kirk replied. “One of the largest in the Galaxy. Considering all the armaments protecting her, I doubt very much neither the Romulans nor the Klingons will have the nerve to attack.”  
“I was thinking the same thing, Sir.”


	2. USS ENTERPRISE BRIDGE

USS ENTERPRISE BRIDGE  
This world of bright, multicolored sensors was one where Kirk felt most comfortable. The roving Starfleet officer was yet to settle down and start a family. Would that day ever come? Only time would tell. For the time being, his six compatriots – Uhura, Scotty, Sulu, Spock, Bones, and Chekov served as a sort of family.   
For the bridge officers, this was one of the quietest days yet. Too quiet. If enemies of the Federation didn’t kill them, boredom surely would.   
“My God, I could go to sleep,” said Sulu wearily.   
“For heaven’s sake, don’t do that,” Kirk replied in jest. “I could be wrong, but I’m sure there isn’t another man aboard this vessel whom I trust more than you in the pilot’s seat.”  
Chekov hadn’t been paying a great deal of attention to his computer monitors. When he did, he noticed a trio of planets or moons that hadn’t been there before.  
“Captain, do these planets look familiar to you?”   
Kirk came in for a look.   
“No, but I also haven’t spent a lot of time in this corner of the galaxy,” Kirk answered. “Mr. Spock.”  
Spock came in for a closer examination.   
“That brownish moon in the center. I believe that’s Bezarin,” Spock said.   
None of his fellow officers had heard about Bezarin.   
“As far as I know, there hasn’t been any activity on this moon for close to a century,” Spock continued. “If my knowledge serves me correctly, Bezarin was used as a mining colony. Several Earth-based mining conglomerates extracted minerals from the largely desert-like landscape. But, for some reason, they closed down their operations after several workers were killed.”  
This revelation evoked both interest and concern inside Kirk.  
“You don’t have any idea how they died, do you, Mr. Spock?”  
Spock spent thirty seconds lost in deep thought.  
“I don’t believe that anybody knows for sure Captain. One theory is that there was some type of barbarian civilization on the moon – perhaps even being closer to your prehistoric peoples – who drove them out.”  
“Part of me wants to see what’s down there,” Kirk said. “Perhaps we will be pleasantly surprised by what we find. There could be a wealth of mining opportunities that haven’t been explored in a hundred years.”  
“Such an endeavor could be logical, but also foolhardy should we share the same fate as those Earthlings who perished there. Of course, nobody knows for certain exactly what happened.”  
“Sir, I cannot receive any communication signal whatsoever from Berazin,” Uhura stated. “From the looks of things, this moon is barren and unpopulated.”  
“Or populated by backward savages,” Bones said. “Jim, may I suggest you send a security party to do a sort of recon? See if there’s anything there worth exploring?”  
“You read my mind, Bones. Kind of funny. I was just speaking to Commander Pete Harrison. He’s still getting over the death of one of his guards who was killed in that skirmish with Romulan forces. I’ll tell him to get a crew ready.”


	3. ONBOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE

ONBOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE  
Put on protective gear including helmets, vests. Ensure phasers are in perfect working order. Peter Harrison knew the drill. And, for this little excursion, he chose three of the most senior members of his ranks: Rafelson, Harris, and Potts. The four security officers suited up inside of the armory which was just down the corridor from the shuttle bay that held four small shuttles.   
“Remember boys. As Captain Kirk has ordered, observe and report. Make every attempt to adhere to the specifics of the mission as much as possible,” Harrison said. “We don’t want to be starting any fights the Federation cannot or isn’t willing to finish.”  
Kirk and Spock entered the shuttle bay.  
“Godspeed to you gentlemen,” Kirk said. “Get in and out as quickly as possible. I have a feeling we could just be wasting our time checking out this endless expanse of desert. Then again, time is on our side until something crucial occurs.”  
IN OUTER SPACE  
The six-seater Federation shuttlecraft took off from the massive starship, which hovered just outside the surface of Berazin.   
ONBOARD THE SHUTTLECRAFT  
Harrison had embarked on hundreds of similar recon missions. Landing on a strange planet was second nature to him. He piloted the shuttlecraft while his men sat anxiously. Once they made it through the moon’s atmosphere, the security officers were greeted by a clear blue sky that hovered over what appeared almost like a moonscape.   
ON BERAZIN  
Harrison landed the Class F shuttlecraft on a flat stretch of sandy ground and opened the main hatch. One by one, the security men emerged into the blinding sunlight which, combined with the burning heat, made for one miserable experience.   
“Enterprise,” Harrison spoke into his radio. “We’ve reached Berazin.”  
ONBOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE  
Uhura answered him back.   
“We hear you, commander,” she said. “What’s the weather like down there?”  
“So hot you could fry an egg,” Harrison replied.   
ON BERAZIN  
The security officers took in their vast surroundings. to say this one – time mining colony as desolate would be an unjust understatement.   
“Sir looks like caves over there,” Potts said. “Those dry mountains. It reminds me of the Ahaggar Mountains in Africa. Right dead – center in the Sahara Desert.”  
“Whatever brought you to that godforsaken part of planet Earth?” Rafelson asked his counterpart.”  
“In my younger years, I was an adventurous sort. Traveled to something like a hundred and twenty countries,” Potts explained. “I just couldn’t leave this world without seeing the Sahara Desert and all the wonders that come with it.”  
The security officers walked in a phalanx – like formation. Soon, they found themselves entering the mouths of a series of caves.   
“Damn place is like a maze,” Harrison remarked. “We’ll get lost if we’re not especially careful.”  
“Sir, why don’t we take this one?” Harris said, referring to the largest mouth.  
The security men entered inside. Flashlights led the way. Eerie and dark quietness were their constant companions. A low moan followed by piercing moans and yells. Harrison felt his heart drop to his stomach.   
“Phasers on kill,” he ordered.   
His men did as they were instructed. Finally, some light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. They emerged into an open area that had the appearance of some sort of prehistoric lounge or perhaps the living room of a prominent family.   
“If anything, we’ve gone back in time,” Harrison stated.   
Suddenly, like a bolt right out of the blue, a figure who looked as though his body hadn’t seen soap and water for millennia, charged at the Enterprise crewmen. Rags covered his hairy, filthy though muscled frame. He swung at Harrison with an ax. Harrison had mere seconds to get out of the way before obliterating the savage with two phaser blasts.   
Seconds later, dozens more of these savages came at the crewmen from every conceivable direction, emerging from the caves. One particularly fierce savage split Potts’s head in two with an ax. In no time at all, Rafelson and Harris were hacked and cut to death in the goriest melee of violence Harrison had ever witnessed.   
Harrison got on his radio as he ran back through the cave.  
“We’ve been attacked! There are these brutal, caveman-like creatures….”  
Then he was dropped by a hammer blow to the back of the head. It was lights out.


	4. ONBOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE

ONBOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE  
“Captain’s log, Stardate 6610.03. I have sent a reconnaissance crew to report any findings on Berazin, an abandoned moon once believed to have been a mining colony,” Kirk said in his daily log. “We are presently waiting for further information.”  
BRIDGE  
A somber, deadly feeling of unsettling hung over the entire bridge.  
“Captain, Commander Harrison, and his men have been attacked.” Uhura’s voice was the gravest Kirk had ever heard. “We believe they could all be dead.”  
“Who…what?” Kirk was almost lost for words.  
“Sir, the last words to come out of Commander Harrison’s mouth were to the effect of caveman-like creatures,” Sulu said.   
Kirk’s blood ran cold.   
“Turns out those stories you heard were right Mr. Spock. Unfortunately.” Overwhelmed, Kirk sat down. “We need to get down there. Immediately.” Having caught his second wind, Kirk stood. “Bones, you, Spock and Uhura will accompany me. I’m also taking along Bogonavitch and MacLeod.”  
Uhura was pleasantly surprised that her commanding officer was ordering her to come along. Rarely did she leave the bridge.  
Kirk pressed a button on the wall-mounted intercom system to reach another section of the Enterprise.  
“Lieutenants Samuel Bogonavitch and Jim MacLeod are to report to the bridge immediately,” he said before turning to Uhura. “Lieutenant, the reason I need you on this mission is because of your language skills. It’s a long shot, but you might be able to communicate on a civil level with these beasts. And, if not, I will order Mr. Sulu to blast them back to the Stone Ages.”  
“Sir, I believe they’re already living such a prehistoric, uncivilized society,” Spock said.   
“Mr. Spock, it’s a figure of speech,” Kirk said impatiently.   
Bogonavitch and MacLeod, two fresh-faced Starfleet officers who were barely out of the academy, entered the bridge.  
“Sir?” MacLeod asked Kirk.  
“Boys, you’re about to get your first taste of some of the sheer brutality you’ll face on some of these planets,” Kirk said. “Scotty, prepare to beam us up.”  
“Aye, aye, Captain,” Scotty said as he went about getting the transponder started.   
Kirk, Spock, Bones, Uhura, MacLeod, and Bogonavitch stood on the platform before they were beamed down to Bezarin.


	5. ON PLANET BERAZIN

PLANET BERAZIN  
Kirk and his shipmates arrived in the sweltering heat of midday. They took in their surroundings. Kirk leaned in to talk into his communication badge.  
“Kirk to Enterprise. Come in.”  
Eerie static followed by Sulu’s broken voice.   
“Copy. This is Sulu.”  
“Mr. Sulu, hang tight until you’re given further orders. This place is so desolate, yet so vast. It could take us a long time to find Commander Harrison and his men.” Kirk sighed dejectedly. “That’s if they’re even still alive. Kirk out.”  
“Look! Over there!” Bogonavich said excitedly as he pointed at a long-abandoned mining station. The antiquated buildings were on the brink of falling in – not to mention the fact that everything was severely corroded. “Could they have perhaps gone in that direction?”  
Kirk’s gut feeling told him they were in grave danger.   
“Phasers on kill,” he said. “I’m not normally a betting man, but I’m willing to wager whatever species lives on this planet, they would have no objections about killing us, should they be given the opportunity.”  
The Enterprise officers moved toward the old mining station, safely going about searching every inch of the facility for signs of life.   
“We’re wasting our time here, Captain,” Spock said. “Valuable time.”  
“I guess you’re right, Mr. Spock,” Kirk said. “People let’s keep moving.”  
*****  
Harrison’s head felt like he’d just come off a bender. Funny, because he had nearly twenty years of sobriety in. He sat up. His back was against the wall of some cave. Where the hell was he? Were these brutes keeping him alive for more nefarious purposes?  
Once he got his bearings, Harrison discovered that he was in some sort of small room which was part of a much larger complex. He strained to hear the grunts and yelling of the occupants outside. He’d never been more terrified in his entire life.   
He quickly put his hand down by his duty belt. Where was his combadge? That was a rhetorical question as those creatures definitely took it.  
A hulking beast entered the room. He towered over a cowing Harrison. The filthy creature grunted loudly, as if he was annoyed, then promptly turned around and left. Past him, Harrison could see families, women, and children sitting and running around.   
*****  
Kirk, Spock, Bones, Uhura, Bogonavich, and MacLeod reached the top of a massive dune that was interspersed with heavy boulders. Below were small hills that appeared to have caves in them as well as….the shuttle?!  
“Get down!” Kirk said quietly.  
Groups of the caveman-like people moved back and forth from the shuttle to the mouth of a cave with what looked like shopping carts.   
“What are they doing?” Uhura asked.  
“It would appear that they are interested in whatever is inside the shuttle,” Spock said. “Which I find to be a bit illogical given their primitive technological capabilities. In other words, they don’t know what to do with it.”  
“Mr. Spock, just by looking at those creatures, do you have any idea who or what they are?” Kirk asked.  
“Well, judging by their features, they could very well be related to the Hikk race. They are a very primitive indigenous – type humanoid species who primarily inhabit the moons of Ballen and Aarronitis.”  
“Which are not that far away,” Kirk said, interested by what he was hearing. He kept his eyes glued to the final creature who had filled up his cart and continued to look around the shuttle. “I’ve just had this crazy notion. We apprehend that last one. Surround him. If he resists, we kill him. But, if he is any way civil, we may be able to learn just what the heck is going on here. Uhura, this is where your language skills are going to come bigtime.”  
“Jim, have you gone mad?” Bones was perplexed. “Either way, he’ll alert his comrades. Then it’s game over for us.”  
“We’re running out of options. Sometimes a radical approach is needed.”


	6. ONBOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE

ONBOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE  
Sulu watched the screen in front of him very closely. His gut feeling warned him that his friends could be walking into a trap.   
“Just from what I can see here, that shuttlecraft may be messed up beyond all repair,” Scotty said. “Those creatures are tearing it apart.”  
“That they are,” Sulu said, his total concentration on what was happening on the ground below. “I sure hope Captain Kirk knows what he’s doing.”  
ON PLANET BERAZIN  
Kirk and his fellow enterprise officers moved slowly toward the shuttlecraft. Kirk nodded to Spock, who came up behind the savage. Spooked, the creature went to yell but stopped when six phasers were shoved into his face. He raised a sharpened stick.  
“Don’t even think about it,” Kirk said as he pressed his phaser against the creature’s neck.   
Uhura examined him.   
“He does resemble a Hikk. Possibly a related race,” Uhura said before looking into his eyes. He was unrefined and brutish as they came, yet there was a calmness about him.   
“Lieutenant, do you speak any of the Hikk languages?” Kirk asked.  
“Perhaps a few words.”  
The savage spoke in a dialect she’d never before heard.  
“I don’t understand any of what he says.”  
Bones was confused.   
“I don’t know what we can with him Jim,” Bones said. “Take a chance and let him lead us into the cave. He’ll alert his comrades, and we’re up the creek.”  
This was a tough decision for Kirk to make.   
“Keep those phasers on him tightly,” he said.  
The Enterprise officers moved into one of the cave mouths. Dark. Foreboding. Every step was taken in utmost caution.   
After walking for about fifteen minutes, there was a sudden light. Then a large, open area. Kirk’s jaw dropped the minute he saw the bodies of Harrison’s men. All had been torn to pieces in the most sickening fashion any of them had ever witnessed.   
“Don’t tell me….”  
Kirk and Bones examined the remains.   
“These things are cannibals.” Angry, he glared at the captured creature. “What the hell have your kind done? Huh?”  
The savage grunted, his facial expressions clearly stating that he had no part of this massacre.   
“I believe he’s sincerely telling us that this was not his doing,” Uhura said.   
“Captain, I say we kill him now,” MacLeod said. “We’ve already gotten ourselves in way too deep here.”  
“Lieutenant, how long have you been a Starfleet officer?”  
“Approximately one month, Sir.”  
“The ink on your degree has barely dried yet. When you reach the higher ranks – and by that time you’ll have eons of experience on your side – you’ll be in a position to question orders. But until that time, keep quiet and pay attention to everything that happens.”  
“Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir.”  
Kirk pressed his ear into his com badge.   
“Harrison. Commander Harrison. Do you copy?”  
*****  
The leader of the tribe, a bear of a man, had been playing around with the com badge. He leaped in fright as a voice came out of it. He grunted to his comrades, who were watching him fiddle with the communication device. They agreed in unison that the captured invader’s friends were in the cave system looking for them.  
*****  
Harrison was pleasantly surprised to discover that he wasn’t alone in the dungeon-like environment. Two women in their late twenties/early thirties huddled in a corner. They were dirty and malnourished, perhaps here for a long time.  
“Do you speak English?” Harrison asked.  
The older one nodded her head.  
“What’s your name?”  
“I’m Sarah. This is Amelia.”  
“Commander Peter Harrison of the USS Enterprise.  
Sarah turned to him.  
“You’re American?” she asked, taking note of his Tennessee twang.  
Harrison nodded.   
“Memphis born and raised. And you?”  
“We’re both from Los Angeles,” Amelia stated. “We were members of a mission. Do you know about the USS Donald Trump?”  
Harrison thought for a moment. A ship named after a president who was as loved as he was maligned should always stick out. It had been over a year since that small cargo vessel disappeared.   
“Are there any other survivors?” Harrison asked.  
Amelia shook her head.  
“Everyone either died in the explosion or when they reached this moon,” she explained. “We escaped here on a shuttle. Since they haven’t eaten us yet, I fear they still plan to use us as breeders.”  
This struck fear deep into Harrison’s heart.  
“Hopefully my people will arrive soon to get us all out of this place,” he said.


	7. ON PLANET BERAZIN

PLANET BERAZIN  
“Jim, as your friend, I have to say, you can be ungodly stubborn at times,” Bones said, shaking his head. “Plus, you have difficulty listening to sound advice.”  
“Looking at this in hindsight is completely illogical. What’s done is done,” Spock countered, his phaser on kill mode. The moans and cries became louder and more terrifying. “Captain, at least you got one thing right.”  
Kirk turned to his first officer, his manner short on patience.   
“You gave the order to kill these things should they become a hazard,” Spock continued.   
The captured savage became more agitated as she heard the voices of his people. MacLeod and Bogonavitch did their best to restrain him while keeping their phasers aimed at the back of his head.   
Bones felt his heart sink to the deepest recesses of his stomach as the sound of the beasts caused almost a thunderous roar as they bounded through the prehistoric corridors. Then, close to a dozen of them appeared.   
“Now!” Kirk shouted.   
The Enterprise officers unleashed a punishing volley of fire that disintegrated half their number of attackers. But more were seconds behind. The savage, stronger than any creature MacLeod and Bogonavitch had ever before encountered, threw them off him. The creature went to pummel his captors but was stopped by a phaser blast to the heart courtesy of Uhura.   
The leader of the pack flung a sharpened spear that embedded itself into MacLeod’s upper right thigh. He let out the most terrifying scream any of them had ever heard.   
“We’re not going to win this fight,” Kirk said, his voice teetering on fear.   
The savages flung a volley of spears and rocks at their intruders, who responded with concentrated blasts of phaser fire. The Enterprise officers retreated down a rocky corridor, oblivious to the fact that it wasn’t the one they arrived in.   
The savages gave pursuit.   
“There’s probably an entire colony of these things down here,” Kirk said, his adrenaline pushed to the limit.   
They fired more rounds in self – defense. All of a sudden, Kirk found himself separated from the group in the melee of violence. He ran. Where exactly this corridor led to was none of his concern at the moment.  
*****  
Spock and the other officers continued to shoot at their pursuers.   
“You’d think they’d have figured out by now that their primitive weapons are no match for our high-tech ones,” Bogonavitch said in a slightly boastful manner.   
MacLeod winced as Bones aided him to get down the corridor.  
“I wouldn’t get too cocky there, Bogonavitch. One of those ‘primitive weapons’ still caused me a tremendous amount of pain. But yes, I see your point. Hopefully, we’ll be able to obliterate them all.”  
*****  
Kirk was nearly out of breath as he reached a dead end. He was lost – possibly forever. At least he still had his phaser. A deafening roar following by loud footsteps. Never in a million years did he think he’d be cornered by the leader of this group of brutes.   
Kirk backed against a wall as the towering creature came at him. It lunged forward. Kirk had mere seconds to get out of the way. The creature was relentless, continuously striving to kill the commander of the Enterprise as though he’d done something very bad to him personally.   
‘How the hell am I going to get out of this?’ Kirk’s mind raced wildly.   
The creature unsheathed a primitive sword, which he used to swing at his victim. Kirk ducked and parried the vicious attack. Then his eyes cast upon a rock.   
‘I either kill it, or it kills me.’  
Kirk dove to the ground and grasped the rock. He drove a boot into the creature’s groin area, causing it to scream in agony. Next, he bashed the rock against its head and continued the assault until the predator was dead, the remains of his head a gory, bloody mess. As Kirk turned the creature over, he spotted a combadge, or – more specifically – Commander Harrison’s combadge.   
“I’ll take this, thank you.”


	8. ON BERAZIN

PLANET BERAZIN  
Spock was worried that he and his crewmates were getting nowhere – fast. And an endless series of mazes that became almost nauseating to navigate.   
“Those things have us trapped in here right where they want us,” Bones said. “We’re in unknown territory and this is their backyard.”  
“So, to speak,” MacLeod added.  
Bogonavitch seethed in agonizing pain. Bones had placed a tourniquet around the wound but had advised against pulling out a six-foot-long length of wood still embedded into the Starfleet officer’s upper thigh.   
“I need to get him to a proper medical facility and soon,” Bones said. “Otherwise, he could lose his leg. Just hang in their, lieutenant,” Bones continued. “You’ll be as good as new in no time.”  
The tense silence of the moment was broken by the approaching grunts and moans of their pursuers.   
“They never let up, do they?” MacLeod said.   
Spock listened and pointed down a corridor.  
“They’re coming from that direction.”  
Sure enough, less than a minute later, a group of the violent savages appeared from around a corner. A few spears were flung. The Enterprise officers moved out of the way before retaliating with a punishing blast of phaser fire that struck down several of the savages. The others scurried off.  
“At least they’re bright enough to understand that messing with us will be their demise,” MacLeod said.   
“I imagine there’s a hell of a lot more where they came from,” Bones said. “And, with Kirk missing, we’re even more vulnerable should they redouble their efforts to kill and eat us.”  
Near the end of the corridor was an entranceway.   
“I can only speculate as to where that will take us,” Uhura said, nervous, but willing to take a chance.   
“We have very little to lose anyway,” Spock said.   
*****  
Kirk stumbled against a wall. His energy was severely depleted from that brutal encounter. Thankfully luck had been on his side. He took ten deep breaths in a row before slowly making his way down the corridor. Harrison’s combadge was proof that the security officer had either been captured and was being held or killed. Distant voices alerted Kirk that he was nearing civilization. As he got closer, he was surprised to hear mostly female voices as well as those of children.   
He caught a glimpse of a sickening sight; dozens of savages gorging in the remains of what were surely those officers who’d accompanied Harrison to Berazin. Kirk got out of sight into a dark section of the cave. His heart racing, he was powerless to stop these creatures or even know what to do next.   
“Captain? Captain Kirk?”  
Kirk nearly jumped out of his skin.   
“Harrison?” Please, don’t let this be a trap.  
Kirk turned around. Unbeknownst to him, there were three cells in a row. One was empty. The other contained the gruesome remains of victims. The third held Peter Harrison and two young women.  
Kirk opened the cell door.   
“My God, you’re alive,” he said.   
“I wasn’t sure if you were coming or not,” Harrison said. “Captain, do you remember that cargo ship that went missing close to a year ago? The USS Donald Trump?”  
Kirk nodded.   
“You better believe it. The vessel disappeared into thin air.”  
“These fine girls are Sarah and Amelia. They’re the only survivors,” Harrison explained.   
“I’m Captain James Kirk of the USS Enterprise. What happened to your ship?”  
“There were severe engine problems and malfunctions,” Amelia explained. “It was scary as hell.”  
“But not as scary as what happened after that,” Sarah chimed in. “Amelia and I were part of a group of survivors who landed on this moon. There weren’t many weapons onboard. We weren’t trained for combat. Everyone else was butchered. Some were even eaten alive.”  
Kirk felt sick to his stomach.   
“We’re going to get you out of here,” Kirk said.   
The four escaped down another corridor.   
“Oh, by the way, here’s your combadge back,” Kirk said as he handed the communication device to Harrison.   
“Thank you, Sir. Reception is piss poor on this desolate rock. It’s next to impossible to communicate anyway.”  
“That won’t stop me from trying,” Kirk countered. He pressed the TALK button on his combadge. “Mr. Spock. Do you copy?”  
“Yes, Captain.” Spock’s voice was staticky but at least he could be understood.   
“You remember the rendezvous point?”  
“Of course.”  
“Meet us there ASAP. I have Commander Harrison and two survivors from the USS Donald Trump. Kirk out.”


	9. ON BERAZIN

Kirk, Harrison, Amelia, and Sarah doubled – timed it down the narrow corridor. The sudden sounds of savages screaming and grunting sent shivers down their spines.   
“It was only going to be a matter of time before they caught on that their captives were gone,” Kirk said.   
It seemed as though they were running for miles and not getting anywhere, one tunnel leading into the next. Kirk stopped to catch his breath. Thank goodness for the intense physical training regimen they put you through at Starfleet Academy. It was a crying shame how so many officers and enlisted men and women let themselves get out of shape. They were useless at times like this.   
“Amelia, you estimate you’ve been here about one year?”  
Amelia nodded.   
“That’s right. It’s all been sort of a blur.”  
“Does any of this look familiar to you?” Kirk asked.   
The women were trying to think back to when they first arrived in the cavernous community.   
“I’m trying to remember where we entered or exited,” Sarah said. “It’s so long ago. Wait! It’s coming back to me now. I remember this corridor. We’re not very far from the outside!” she continued excitedly.   
The quarter continued down another corridor. Just then, dozens of savages – men, women, and children – charged at them. The ran as fast as their lungs would take them through the winding corridor. Then there was a sudden light at the end of the corridor – daylight.  
Kirk knew he had seconds to act. He did a lightning-fast recon of his surroundings. Just how would they get free of these monsters?  
“Captain! Look!”  
Amelia pointed to a cluster of boulders on the walls and ceiling. It made perfect sense. Cause an avalanche that will prevent the beasts from advancing, buying themselves loads of time.  
Acting on sheer impulse and adrenaline, Kirk shot at the rocks. They fell to the ground in one thunderous, dusty descent.   
“To use a baseball term, we’re not home free,” Harrison said happily.   
They ran through the tunnel into the blinding sunlight. At first, Sarah and Amelia were overwhelmed by the blast of bright light that hit their eyes, which hadn’t seen sunlight in roughly a year.   
“Spock. Spock, come in,” Kirk said into his com badge.   
*****  
Spock and the other Enterprise officers were having a considerable challenge of their own navigating the never-ending tunnel system.   
“Spock here,” the first officer said into his com badge.   
“Mr. Spock, we’ve just left the complex and are headed to the rendezvous point,” Kirk said. “Do you know your exact location?”  
“If we did, we’d already been out there now getting ready to beam up,” Spock said. “Our electrical navigational systems don’t exactly work with finesse down here.”  
“You’ve got that right. Stay safe and try to get out as soon as possible. Kirk out.”  
At the end of the corridor was another living room – type area. Occupants of this massive complex had recently here, as evidenced by the bloody bones sitting on the table.   
“Oh God, is that human flesh?” Uhura fought back an urge to vomit.  
Bones examined the remains.   
“I hate to be the bearer of grim news, but yes.”  
“Hey, I think I see daylight. Check it out,” MacLeod said.   
Sure enough, on the other side of the room was a door to the outside. They eagerly approached, only to be confronted by four savages who were obviously on sentry duty.   
“Fry them,” Spock ordered.  
The Enterprise officers blasted the savages until they were nothing more than particles.   
“Now, we just have to find the captain and the rest is gravy,” Bones said.


	10. ONBOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE

ONBOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE  
Sulu kept his hand steady on the controls as the starship orbited the moon of Berazin. There’d been no word from either Kirk or any of the other officers – and he was becoming worried. Acting upon his initiative, Sulu ordered every member of the ship’s security teams to get suited up and ready to depart to Berazin for a potential rescue mission.   
The electronic walls lining the bridge pinged with various sounds.   
“I shudder to think what will happen to our compatriots,” Scotty said in a sullen tone. “I don’t mean to question your actions Sir, but sending down that crew now could be akin to closing the barn door after the horse gets out.”  
“It wasn’t as though I was presented with a variety of options,” Sulu replied.   
ON BERAZIN  
The heat was so intense, it caused the mountains in the far – off the distance to appear like a mirage. Sarah and Amelia shielded their eyes.   
“I’ve never seen the sun in such a long time,” Sarah said, her breath nearly taken away from her.   
Scared they were running against time, Kirk got back on his combadge.   
“Spock. Please respond.”  
“My apologies, Captain,” Spock replied. “We’ve just made it out of the woods ourselves.”  
Kirk and Harrison scanned the vast, desolate landscape. Kirk spotted five figures moving in their direction. He raised his binoculars.   
“Just keep moving the way you are,” Kirk said as he got back on his combadge. “We’re right on top of the hill.”  
Kirk waited and watched as his crew double-timed it up a rocky embankment and over a series of dunes. Before long, they met.  
“Mr. Spock, I honestly never thought I’d say I was so happy to see you,” Kirk said.   
“Your presence is always welcome, Captain,” Spock replied.   
Kirk felt uneasy as a horde of the savages advanced. They were far enough away but would get here soon.  
“Mr. Sulu, I need you to take care of some of the trash before we get out of here,” Kirk said.   
ON THE USS ENTERPRISE  
As Kirk spoke, his helmsmen started up the starship’s weapon’s systems.   
“Aye, Aye, Sir. Proton phasers warming up,” Sulu said. He zoomed in on what appeared to be at least a hundred savages armed with primitive weapons storming up the hill. “Problem will be rectified momentarily. Scotty, prepare to beam up our friends, as well as two extras.”  
“Aye, Aye, Sir,” Scotty replied as he went out getting the transponder ready.  
ON BERAZIN  
The Enterprise officers watched gleefully as proton phaser blasts turned the massive horde of creatures into dust. There was nothing left of them.   
“We’re so grateful of you to come,” Amelia said to Kirk and Spock. “If only the cavalry would have arrived this time last year.”  
“The Federation didn’t even know where you were,” Kirk replied. “Well, get yourselves ready to be beamed up.”  
ON THE USS ENTERPRISE  
The Enterprise officers, Sarah and Amelia appeared as shimmering manifestations before forming into their full selves.   
“Welcome back, Sir,” Scotty said to Kirk. “We were scared you might have been eaten alive.”  
“In this era of history, sheer numbers and brutality are no match for high-tech weaponry,” Kirk said. “If you want to know the outcome of the USS Donald Trump, these girls will tell you every minute detail.”  
Two female medical attendants took Sarah and Amelia by the hands while their male counterparts attended to Bogonavitch.   
“You’re merely going to be examined and then kept in observation overnight,” Bones said.   
“Doctor, how will get back to Earth?” Amelia inquired, concerned.  
Bones looked over to where Kirk was fiddling with some gadgets on his chair.  
“Jim, how far are we from the Interstellar refueling port?”  
“We could probably get there in half a day. Yes, I almost forgot. I will contact the commanding officer of the station and he’ll make sure you get back to the US,” Kirk said.  
“Thank you, Captain,” Sarah said before she and her friend left the bridge.  
“I was just thinking. With all those critters gone, perhaps the moon can be reopened as a mining colony,” MacLeod said.   
“That’s none of our concern,” Spock said. “What any Earth-based company decides to do.”

THE END


End file.
